Sign-board and safety device for brakemen of freight-cars



No. 625,467. Patented May 23, |899.

P. J. REID. SIGN BOARD AND SAFETY DEVICE FDR BRAKEMEN 0F FREIGHT CARS.

(Application med oct. e, 189s.)

(No Model.)

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PATRICK J. REID, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SIGN-BOARD AND SAFETY DEVICE FOR BRAKEMEN OF FREIGHT-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,467, dated May 23, 1899.

Application filed October 6, 1898.

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, PATRICK J. REID, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sign-Boards and Safety Devices for Brakemen of Freight- Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a combined advertising-board for freight-cars and the like and a safety device for the brakemen to prevent their falling or being blown from the tops of the cars.

My invention embodies several novel and advantageous features, which will be apparent from the drawings and from the description hereinafter given.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of my device as attached to a freight-car, and Figs. 2 to 5 are details showing the preferred manner of constructing the framework of the advertising-board.

My device comprises one or more flat surfaces or what I will term sign-boards7 1 and 2, which are to be pivoted upon the roof of the car, preferably above the eaves, as shown in the drawings. My preferred method of construction for securing these boards together and pivoting them on the car is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Channel-irons 3 receive the ends of the boards at the ends of ythe carsvand are provided with lugs 4, which form a hinge device in connection with the hinge-sections 5, secured upon the roof of the car in any desired manner. An I-beam 6 is arranged upright substantially midway between the channel-iron 3 and is pivoted upon a hinge device 7 upon the roof of the car, which'hinge may be similar to those upon the channel-irons. The channel-irons and the I-beam being thus arranged upright receive the boards, and thus form a pivoted framework running longitudinally along the roof of the car. It will be understood that for absolute safety to the brakelnen and for increased advertising-space one of these signboards or frames is arranged on each side of the car.

In order to hold the boards in position, I provide end straps 8, which encircle the channel-irons and whose ends have bolts 9 passing therethrough and through the boards. The I-beam is preferably cut down a suitable Serial No. 692,793. (No model.)

distance from the top, see Fig. 2,) leaving the web'lO extending. To secure the adjacent ends of the boards to the I-beam, straps 11 and 12, similar to the end straps, are arranged around the web in opposite directions, as seen in Fig. 1, and are secured by bolts 13 and 14.

In order to hold the sign-board or frame in position, as shown in Fig. 1, any suitable means may be employed, such as the rods 1,5, pivoted on the car-roof at 1G and having their hooked ends 17 engaging the eyes or staples 18 on the channel-irons and I-beam. It will be understood that if the frame is sufficiently rigid but one rod is necessary and that ordinarily two rods will suffice, although I have shown how three such rods could be advan tageously used.

It is obvious that the parts 1 and 2 may be built up instead of being in a single piece, and that while I have for convenience designated them as boards they may be made of any suitable material-as thin sheet metal, for instance-and also that the entire framework is arranged slightly above the car-roof, so as to leave a space to permit Water to drain oif the car without hindrance.

Upon the sections 1 and 2 any advertising matter may be placed and the novelty of the device as well as its conspicuity will attract attention wherever the car goes. At the same timeit takes the place of and provides a safety device to prevent the brakemen who go along the running-board 19 from falling or being blown from the tops of the cars. Safety-railings are thus dispensed with.

The deviceis not only one of profit, but one of safety.

Although I have described more or less precise forms and details of construction, I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form, the proportion of parts, and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient and without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim- 1. The combination of a sign-board frame pivotcd longitudinally of a car at each side thereof above the eaves, eyes or staples 18 on the frame, rods 15 pivoted at one end to the car-roof and engaging 'the eyes to normallyhold the frame in upright position and a foo supplemental frame or sign-board received by said first-named frame.

2. The combination of a sign -board or frame, channel-irons 3 at the ends7 hinges secured to the car-roof and connected to the channelirons for pivoting the same and means for normally holding the frame in upright position upon its hinge.

3. A combined sign-board and safety device for brakemen of freight-cars comprising a sign-board or frame longitudinal of the car at each side thereof, channel-irons pivoted substantially at the four corners of the roof and supporting the frames, straps 8 securing the frame in place on the irons and rods l5 pivoted on the car and engaging the frame to normally hold the frame in upright position. Y

4. A combined sign-board and safety device for brakemen of freight-cars comprising sections l and Qarranged longitudinal of the car, I-beams 6 pivoted substantially at the middle of the car and receiving the adjacent ends of the sections, channel-irons 3 substantially at the ends of the car and receiving the outer ends of said sections and hinge devices for hinging said irons and I-beams upon the roof of the car.

5. A combined sign-board and safety device for brakemen of freight-cars comprising sections l and 2 arranged longitudinal of the car, I-beams 6 pivoted substantially at the middle of the car and receiving the adjacent ends of the sections, straps for securing the boards Yto the I-beams, channel-irons 3 substantially at the ends of the car and receiv# ing the outer ends of said sections, straps for securing the sections in place on said irons, hinge devices for hinging said irons and I- beams upon the roof ofthe car. Y

6. A combined sign-board and safety device for freight-cars comprising sign-board sections l and 2, I-beams 6 pivoted to the rooi:` of the car and engaging the adjacent ends of the sections, said I-beams having a portion cut away to leave an upstanding Web l0, channel-irons 3 at the ends of the car and engaging and supporting the outer ends of the sections, straps 8 around said irons and en.-

gaging the sections, straps ll and l2 engag-y ing opposite sides of said Web and secured to the sign-board sections, eyes or staples 18 on said irons and I-beams and rods l5 pivoted to the car-roof and having a hooked end 17 engaging in the eyes 18.

7. The combination, with a car, of a frame supported and hinged upon the roof of the car and extending longitudinally thereof substantially above the eaves, a supplemental frame received by said hinged frame, and means for holding the hinged frame in substantially upright position, said frames forminga combined sign-board and a safety device for brakemen.

PATRICK J. REID. Witnesses:

SAMUEL E. HIBBER, ALLAN A. MURRAY. 

